For Immediate Release
Oct. 7, 2021
Contact:
Randy Hannan, Martin Waymire
517.256.7633
rhannan@martinwaymire.com
Advocates, experts highlight five good reasons why Build Back Better is great for Michigan
Participants discussed key provisions of President Biden’s plan, including the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, investments in health care, home care and childcare, and combating climate change.
LANSING—On Thursday, October 7, advocates and experts held a virtual press conference highlighting the benefits for Michigan in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan and urged the state’s congressional delegation to approve and advance the plan to the U.S. Senate.
“President Biden made a powerful case for why his plan will lift up Michigan families, strengthen our economy, create new jobs, and help us fight the negative impacts of climate change,” said Gilda Jacobs, President and CEO of Michigan League for Public Policy. “There are so many reasons why this plan is good for Michigan, such as extending the expanded Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, making child care and prescription drugs more affordable, investing $400 billion in home and community-based care which would greatly improve care for disabled and senior citizens, and making key investments to combat climate change that will reduce carbon emissions and create thousands of good-paying Michigan jobs in the clean energy sector.”
The Build Back Better plan includes key provisions that will uplift Michigan families, strengthen our state’s economy, create thousands of jobs and combat climate change. If Congress fails to approve the plan, Michigan families stand to lose billions of dollars from the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and financial assistance that lowers the cost of long-term care, prescription drugs, and childcare services.
“I can tell you from my experience that extending the expanded Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit are critically important to the financial well-being of thousands of families here in the Lansing area and nearly a million families across Michigan,” said David Reyes, director of Capital Area United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. “The CTC and EITC taken together are a lifeline for families across the state. Failing to extend them will push many thousands of Michigan children back into poverty. That would be an inexcusable tragedy.”
Nearly two million Michigan children are eligible for the CTC, and nearly a million families across the state have now received their July, August and September direct payments. These payments are estimated to reduce child poverty by more than 40 percent in Michigan. If the expanded CTC is extended by Congress, it will inject more than $850 million in new household spending into our state economy and create an estimated 16,000 new full-time jobs over the next year.
“I want to stress the importance of the Child Tax Credit – it’s been a big help in our household, and I know it’s helping a lot of families just like ours with costs such as childcare,” said Tameka Ramsey, co-founder of Michigan Voices. “But child care is still not affordable and people are not working because they cannot afford it. The President’s childcare plan will change all of this by ensuring that low- and middle-income families spend no more than seven percent of their income on childcare and that it is high-quality.”
Another benefit of the Build Back Better plan was recently highlighted by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Center for American Progress, which released a study that shows the President’s plan would create more than 777,000 good-paying home care jobs across the country over the next decade, addressing the industry’s severe job shortage.
“There is no question that the United States is in the midst of a national care crisis,” said Andrea Acevedo, President of SEIU Healthcare in Michigan. “With more than 10,000 people turning 65 every day, there is skyrocketing demand for affordable, quality, essential care that seniors and people with disabilities need to live. President Biden’s proposed $400 billion investment in home- and community-based services would be a once-in-a-generation opportunity that could boost economic growth by building a well-respected, well-protected, and well-paid union home care workforce that can answer the call for care, allowing working people to keep their jobs, pursue careers, or even launch new businesses knowing that their loved ones are getting the care they need.”
Ady Barkan, co-founder of the Be A Hero PAC and national advocate for access to affordable, quality in-home care, also spoke to the impact the President’s plan will have on home care. “In Michigan and across the country, millions do not have access to home care. Many are forced into unsafe nursing institutions. Thank you to Congresswoman Dingell for being a strong partner in this fight from the beginning. And I know we can count on Senators Stabenow and Peters to back this landmark plan to improve the lives of disabled people, seniors, care workers and their families. I hope the rest of Michigan’s congressional delegation will back this plan as well.”
Also speaking on the importance of the President’s plan to expand and make healthcare more affordable for Americans was Dr. Farhan Bhatti, CEO and medical director of Care Free Medical. “As a family medicine physician who serves low-income residents of Lansing, nearly all of whom are Medicaid or Medicare eligible, I can assure you the Build Back Better plan will improve their lives in several key ways: lowering prescription drug costs, lowering health care costs, and expanding dental, vision and hearing coverage for millions of Americans while closing the Medicaid gap for low-income individuals.”
President Biden’s Build Back Better plan also aims to combat climate change by investing $35 billion in the full range of solutions needed to achieve technology breakthroughs that address the climate crisis and position America as the global leader in clean energy technology and clean energy jobs. The President has established a national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. To make that happen, many more electric vehicles will need to be produced, and infrastructure like charging ports, and electric heat pumps for residential heating and commercial buildings will need to be developed. The President is calling on Congress to enable the manufacture of those cars, ports, pumps, and clean materials here in Michigan and across the country through a $46 billion investment in federal buying power, creating good-paying jobs and reinvigorating local economies, especially in rural areas.
“We are working here in Michigan to tackle climate change at its source — our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Conan Smith, President and CEO of the Michigan Environmental Council. “We’re challenging our utilities to become more visionary and aggressive in their pursuit of renewable energy and supporting innovative tools for residents and businesses to transform from fossil fuels to clean electrical sources. Together, we’re laying the framework for a clean energy economy that ultimately is going to reduce energy costs for families and protect public health and our environment for future generations.”
A replay and download of the press conference can be viewed here.
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Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
